Xiao Qi Ji celebrated his first birthday Saturday with a specially made fruitsicle cake, as did his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian.
To see pictures and an adorable video, click here: Happy Birthday, Xiao Qi Ji! National Zoo's Panda Cub Turns 1
Showing posts with label Panda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Panda. Show all posts
Sunday, August 22, 2021
Happy Birthday, Xiao Qi Ji! National Zoo's Panda Cub Turns 1
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
The Oldest Living Panda in Human Care Just Had the Most Adorable Birthday Party
A very special panda reached a milestone birthday this year.
An An, a giant panda living at Hong Kong Ocean Park in China, just turned 35 years old, making him the longest living panda currently living in captivity and the oldest male panda under human care, CNN reported.
To read more on this story, click here: The Oldest Living Panda in Human Care Just Had the Most Adorable Birthday Party
Thursday, October 15, 2020
PLUMP AND FEISTY: Baby Panda at National Zoo adds 2 Inches to Waist, Turns 8 Weeks Old
When mama bear Mei Xiang left the den yesterday to eat a fruitsicle (frozen treat made from diluted apple juice), zookeepers were able to retrieve the cub for a quick exam.
To read more on this story, click here: PLUMP AND FEISTY: Baby Panda at National Zoo adds 2 Inches to Waist, Turns 8 Weeks Old
Friday, August 21, 2020
Birth Of Panda Cub Brings ‘Joyous News’ To The National Zoo
The cub was born at 6:35 p.m. Eastern Time, the zoo said in an Instagram post that announced the “joyous news.” It will take some time before the sex of the cub can be determined.
To read more on this story, click here: Birth Of Panda Cub Brings ‘Joyous News’ To The National Zoo
Sunday, August 16, 2020
National Zoo Says Panda Mei Xiang Appears to be Pregnant, Could Give Birth Soon
Keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo said Friday they were thrilled to detect what looks like a fetus during an ultrasound earlier in the day on giant panda Mei Xiang.
"Theres no denying that a giant panda is a charismatic animal, this is a huge success story," zoo spokesperson Pamela Baker-Masson told ABC News. "We have million's of people watching our panda cam program every year around the world."
To watch panda cam, click here: Mei Xiang
To read more on this story, click here: National Zoo Says Panda Mei Xiang Appears to be Pregnant, Could Give Birth Soon
Saturday, August 15, 2020
The National Zoo's Giant Panda, With A Yearly Window of 24-72 Hours to Become Pregnant, May Be Expecting
The 22-year-old giant panda could deliver a cub in the next few days, the Smithsonian's National Zoo announced, after imaging revealed what appeared to be a fetus.
Mei Xiang has had a team of experts supporting her through the process since March, when they performed an artificial insemination. The beginning of her journey toward expectant motherhood also marked the country's shift to life under a pandemic, with zoos temporarily shutting their doors around the nation. And now, the possible birth could mark another moment -- one of wonder amid a time of continued uncertainty.
To read more on this story, click here: The National Zoo's Giant Panda, With A Yearly Window of 24-72 Hours to Become Pregnant, May Be Expecting
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Double the Joy! Erie Zoo Welcomes 2 Critically Endangered Red Panda Cubs
Pennsylvania's Erie Zoo announced on Thursday that its two adult pandas Pumori, 5, and Delilah, 7, welcomed their first litter together — a male cub and a female cub — on July 8, giving fans a peek at the little ones in a video shared on social media.
The little ones are currently being hand-raised by animal specialists after staffers noticed that the cubs were "failing to gain weight naturally" during their first few weeks, according to a spokesperson for the zoo.
To read more on this story, click here: Double the Joy! Erie Zoo Welcomes 2 Critically Endangered Red Panda Cubs
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Follow Bei Bei’s Plane With Fedex Flight Tracker!
To stay updated on his flight, click here: BEI BEI’S PLANE
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Monday, November 18, 2019
Here's How The National Zoo Will FedEex Bei Bei The Giant Panda
WASHINGTON — Bei Bei, the District's beloved giant panda, will play in his outdoor habitat for the last time Tuesday before he heads to China. The Smithsonian National Zoo is sending the four-year-old panda to China as part of the panda diplomacy program. This program between the U.S. and China requires all pandas born at the Zoo be sent to China when they turn four.
Bei Bei will make his way to Dulles Airport on Tuesday, and will be transported to Chengdu, China on a specially chartered FedEx cargo plane. He'll ride on a direct 16-hour flight with the National Zoo's animal care team, a panda keeper and a veterinarian.
To read more on this story, click here: Here's How The National Zoo Will FedEex Bei Bei The Giant Panda
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Bei Bei The Giant Panda, At Smithsonian's National Zoo, Turned 3-Years-Old Today
His cake was specially made by the Zoo’s department of nutrition sciences and included all of his favorite foods. The tiers were made of diluted apple, cranberry and grape juice with leaf-eater biscuit puree. It was decorated and filled with apples, pears, bananas, shredded carrots and cooked sweet potatoes. The number 3 that topped the cake was made of diluted apple juice with a leaf-eater biscuit puree center.
Now weighing in at almost 215 pounds, Bei Bei has been taking full advantage of his summer—splashing around in his big green tub, and napping in trees and on his new hammock.
Tian Tian is the next giant panda to celebrate a birthday. He turns 21 on Monday, Aug. 27 and will also receive a special cake at 11 a.m.
Monday, November 13, 2017
Funny or Sad? Children Terrified at Sight of Purple Panda (VIDEO)
The staff at Pennsylvania’s Center in the Woods preschool thought they would surprise their toddlers with a visit from Mr. McFeely, the delivery man character from the PBS Kids show
“Mr. Rogers’.”
The youngsters eagerly listened to Mr. McFeely as he sat in front of the classroom and introduced another special guest, Purple Panda, one of the costumed characters also on the PBS show.
Mr. McFeely stood up to welcome his friend, and as he entered the classroom, Mr. McFeely held Purple Panda’s hand. The kids however, were not so welcoming.
Chaos immediately ensued. Screaming and crying children scattered to a far corner of a classroom, seemingly petrified by the sight of the Purple Panda, which was actually a person wearing a panda suit.
Confused, Mr. McFeely just told the kids to “stand right here” and as he waved at them. He then tried to calm them down by admitting that it’s not actually Purple Panda but “somebody pretending” to be the panda. His words did not soothe the children.
The Youtube clip has received over 770,000 hits and thousands of ‘Likes’ since it was first uploaded on April 9.
I must admit, as an adult...I would probably take off running if I saw someone dressed like that!
I think the purple panda should have immediately left the room when he saw that the children were upset. A little more thought should have been put in the designing of the costume. I understand that the characters have a whimsical look...however kids love Barney, the purple dinosaur.
Take a look at how receptive the kids are in the pictures below. I only hope that these kids are not scarred for life, and become afraid of animals.
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Friday, October 20, 2017
Some People Decided to Show How Animals Enhance Their Lives by Getting Animal Tattoos
Panda Tattoo
Many people don’t know that pandas used to roam all across China millions of years ago. Now, they primarily live in the mountain ranges of central China – which is an interesting fact that you can share with people when they see your adorable panda tattoo!
Kitty Reaching for the Stars Tattoo
Cat owners know that felines are forever curious. This enthralling tattoo perfectly represents the mentality of a feline, showcasing a cute cat reaching for the stars!
Snake Tattoo
It isn’t always the first creature people feel affection for, but there’s a sizeable amount of the population who greatly enjoys the sinuous beauty and stubborn survivalist nature of the snake. This brave woman decided to show her love for this animal with a subtle hand tattoo.
Bear Tattoo
It’s important to bear in mind that those of the ursine lineage are capable of quiet grace and beauty. Though the cute and often clumsy idea of a bear is common in everything from cartoons to wood carvings, a stunning tattoo like this captures the wild elegance in their hearts.
Deer Tattoo
Deer lovers are sure to fawn over the beauty of this tattoo. It’s appropriate that this tattoo was placed on the ankle, as deer are fond of running and jumping around!
Sometimes Subtlety is the Best Option
Not everyone wants to get a prominent tattoo that’s easily seen. A compact tattoo, such as a baby scorpion behind your ear, is an excellent way to represent an animal that you care about without drawing a lot of attention.
Love for the Sea
Maybe your favorite creature resides in the water! If so, you may want to ink your skin with a colorful representation of one of the most popular residents of the ocean – like this fanciful crab!
Eye of the Tiger
The tiger is a stunning animal – and one under threat from habitat loss and poaching. So a tattoo as beautiful as this one is not only a great conversation-starter, it may lead to another great conversation as well.
Family of Elephants
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Sunday, September 11, 2016
The Giant Panda Is No Longer An Endangered Species
To read more on this story, click here: The Giant Panda Is No Longer An Endangered Species
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Saturday, August 20, 2016
Bei Bei, the National Zoo’s Youngest Giant Panda Cub, Celebrated His First Birthday on Saturday with a Giant Frozen Cake
The colorful cake—made of frozen apple, carrot and beet juice by the zoo’s nutrition department—took two weeks to create and weighs about 150 pounds. It was adorned with a giant number one.
Bei Bei will officially turn 1 on Monday. Saturday’s birthday celebration also included Bei Bei’s older sister, Bao Bao, who turns 3 on Tuesday, and Tian Tian, the cubs’ father, who turns 19 on Aug. 27, the Washington Post reported.
Early into the zoo’s Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday, Bei Bei had yet to approach his birthday cake, though his mother, Mei Xiang, was enjoying the frozen treat.
To see what the rest of the pandas are up to, check out the giant panda cam livestream.
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Saturday, March 5, 2016
Across the Nation, a Small Army of Animal Dummies Have Been Deployed to Catch People Who Hunt in the Wrong Place
Or so they thought.
The men had actually fallen prey to the ruse of a
state-owned robotic deer, one of a growing number of remote-controlled decoys
being used by American wildlife law enforcement to stop poachers. Across the
nation, a small army of deer, elk, bear, turkey, fox and wolf dummies has been
deployed to catch people who hunt in the wrong place, in the wrong season or
otherwise illegally.
Here’s how it works: Officers truck a robo-animal out into
the wild and stage it in an area where they’ve been tipped off about illegal
hunting. Then the officers sit out of sight – in a truck, or maybe crouching in
bushes – and use a remote to move the animal’s head, tail or legs.
Think you know enough? Skip down to a quiz to find out
whether you can spot a robo-animal.
Demand for the decoys is huge, said Jim Reed of the Humane
Society Wildlife Land Trust, which donates them to anti-poaching agencies. Game
wardens are chronically underfunded, he said, and robo-wildlife is pricey: A
deer costs about $2,000; a black bear, up to $5,000. Wardens also are busy –
the Humane Society says hunters kill at least as many animals illegally as
legally.
The decoys look so alive because, well, they once were,
said Brian Wolslegel, owner of the Wisconsin-based Custom Robotic Wildlife.
Wolslegel — who does not hunt but instead raises deer in his backyard – makes
the dummies out of hides acquired legally from hunters, game wardens or online.
(You, too, can purchase a bear hide at taxidermy.net.)
Each year he sells as many as 100 whitetail deer, by far
his most popular item. Officers, he said, tell him they make as much as $30,000
in fines off each fake animal.
“To have a poacher, a wild animal and a law enforcement
officer at the same scene, it’s like winning the lottery,” he said. And then if
the poacher is caught, “the animal already died in the process.”
Robo-wildlife, it turns out, are pretty hard to kill. If a
bullet busts the motor, it’s replaceable, Wolslegel said. And most have a
Styrofoam core, so a high-powered rifle shot passes through “with minimal
damage,” Reed said. In fact, he said, some of the most realistic-looking decoys
have been shot 100 times or more.
“The typical deer in the forest is not going to appear
well-groomed. It may have a little mud stuck on its back, some hairs ruffled
from the wind,” Reed said. The best decoys, he said, “get well-seasoned.”
Think you’re more observant than a poacher? Take this quiz
to find out if you can tell a robo-animal from a live animal.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
You Must Watch This Video of Bei Bei Getting Stuck on a Tree Branch
If you're not one of those screechers (yet), here's why
everyone around you is continually hitting the "replay" button right
now: The National Zoo just released video of its giant panda cub going outside,
climbing partway up a tree and... wait for it... getting his back legs adorably
stuck on a branch.
Go ahead. Watch. Hit replay a few dozen times.
We'll wait.
To read more on this story, click here: You Must Watch This Video of Bei Bei Getting Stuck on a Tree Branch
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Washington, DC - Smithsonian National Zoo: Tian Tian, the Giant Panda Frolicking in the Snow
While most D.C. residents hunkered down to ride out the
storm, at least one was having the time of his life.
The Smithsonian National Zoo shared a video of its giant
panda Tian Tian frolicking in the snow Saturday morning. In the video, Tian
Tian rolled down a snowy hill, covering himself in the white stuff.
Unfortunately, you won't get to see Tian Tian's snow dance
in person. The National Zoo is closed through Sunday because of the severe
weather. But hopefully, the adorable video above will hold you over.
Snow will continue to fall across the D.C. metro area
Saturday, creating near whiteout conditions when combined with wind gusts of up
to 30 mph. A blizzard warning is in effect for the D.C. area until Sunday at 6
a.m.
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Washington, DC - Smithsonian National Zoo Has Announced That the Red Pandas Are Back on Exhibit in the Nation’s Capital
Smithsonian National Zoo has announced that red pandas are
once again on exhibit in the nation’s capital, after a two-year absence.
For now, male Tusa and female Asa, both 1 year old, will be
on display at the zoo’s small mammal house. The ginger cuties will move at a
later date into swanky new digs -- boasting indoor heat, air conditioning, new
perches, and plenty of quiet -- now under construction for them on the larger
"Asia Trail" red panda exhibit.
The zoo’s previous pair of red pandas, Shama and Rusty,
were transferred to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) two
years ago this month, so they could breed. The couple did produce three cubs in
June 2014, but, sadly, Shama died soon after they were born.
Rusty, however, is “thriving” at the SCBI, according to zoo
staff. The clever male made a name for himself in June 2013 when he staged a
very public, and Internet-viral, escape to the streets of D.C.
While Tusa and Asa will call D.C. home, their species —
listed as endangered on the IUCN’s “red list” of threatened species, with fewer
than 10,000 thought to remain in the wild — is native to Nepal, China, Bhutan
and India. SCBI has long studied the adorable animals.
“We’ve made a commitment to study red pandas,” said curator
Steve Sarro in a release, “and we hope that they inspire the public to help us
conserve this endangered species and their habitat for many generations to
come.”
Monday, March 16, 2015
A Chinese Man Sues Local Government Officials Over an Attack by a Wild Panda and Wins More Than $80,000
The animals are known for their lovable appearance but despite their placid, bamboo-chewing image they are members of the bear family and have a fearsome bite.
The animal wandered into Liziba village, in the northwestern province of Gansu, where local officials trying to capture it chased it onto Guan Quanzhi's land.
"I saw a panda jump out in front of me, its body completely covered in mud," he told the newspaper.
The creature bit him in the leg and only released its grip when another villager covered its head with a coat. The incident in March last year, left Guan with injuries requiring seven hours of surgery.
The panda escaped.
Guan's son sued local forestry officials and the nearby Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve, which is home to more than 100 wild pandas.
Following "negotiations", officials agreed to pay compensation of 520,000 yuan ($83,000).
Guan is "satisfied with the amount", which will cover his medical bills, he said, adding that he may need further operations.
The number of wild giant pandas rose nearly 17 percent over the decade to 2013 to reach 1,864, state media cited an official survey data as saying this month, with a government agency crediting conservation measures for the increase.
Pandas are a major generator of tourist revenue in several parts of China and for Beijing, which capitalises on the global fascination with the animals by renting them to foreign zoos.
They have been known to attack humans.
The nature conservation organization, World Wide Fund (WWF) says on its website: "As cuddly as they may look, a panda can protect itself as well as most other bears," using its heavy weight, strong jaw muscles and large molar teeth.
It cautions: "Although used mainly for crushing bamboo, a panda bite can be very nasty."
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Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Panda May Have Faked Pregnancy for More Buns, Bamboo
Not only was it a phantom pregnancy, but zookeepers suspect the panda, Ai Hin, may have been faking it to improve her quality of life, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding told Xinhua on Monday.
Ai Hin, age 6, had shown signs of pregnancy, including a change in appetite, moving less and an increase in progestational hormone in July, according to Xinhua.
But after almost two months, she began acting normally again, zookeepers said.
Experts say pandas sometimes carry on the behaviors associated with early pregnancy after noticing that they get preferential treatment, the news agency reported.
"After showing prenatal signs, the 'mothers-to-be' are moved into single rooms with air conditioning and around-the-clock care," Wu Kongju, an expert at the Chengdu base, is quoted as saying.
"They also receive more buns, fruits and bamboo, so some clever pandas have used this to their advantage to improve their quality of life."
The birth of Ai Hin's supposed cub and its progress in its early days, from its first cries to acquiring its distinctive black-and-white fur, were due to be broadcast online to panda lovers in China and worldwide.
Giant pandas are notoriously reluctant to breed in captivity and pseudo-pregnancies are common.
The female is fertile for no more than three days a year, and the time span for a pregnancy is from 80 to 200 days, according to the Chengdu base. Scientists will closely monitor behavioral and physiological signs, but it's often a guessing game.
Even if a pregnancy proves genuine, baby pandas have very low survival rates. According to the Chengdu base, only a third to a half of pandas born in Chinese captivity manage to survive past infancy.
There was good news last month, though, when a panda gave birth to a healthy set of triplets in China's Chimelong Safari Park in the southern city of Guangzhou. The cubs are thought to be the only living panda triplets in the world.
Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland thinks its panda, Tian Tian, could be the next to produce a cub, based on the latest scientific tests, but there are no guarantees.
"It is very likely that we will not know 100% if Tian Tian is pregnant until she gives birth," Iain Valentine, Director of giant pandas for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said earlier this month.
As few as 1,600 giant pandas survive in the mountain forests of central China, according to the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo in Washington. More than 300 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world, most of them in China.
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